Aiwa A22 Micro Series Integrated Amplifier

[AnalogSteph]

Ah yes, the Aiwa minis are legendary. They tried to be tiny but still something approaching "legit" hi-fi, and weren't actually that cheap. If you bought the pre-power combo, the SA-P22 could dish out 30 W into either 4 or 8 ohms depending on target market. The tuner seemingly wasn't half-bad either.

Unfortunately I cannot find any service manual for the SA-A22, so the headphone output mystery must remain unexplained, though I suspect a voltage divider to keep the hiss at bay. Seems quite low-impedance though, so maybe they beefed up the preamp for headphone driving instead? 3 Vrms and change would match a 9ish V supply. The SA-P22 just had 150 ohm series resistors coming from the power amp outputs, and we're clearly not looking at that.

Lots of additional units, including a microphone reverb unit and a digital timer:

Of course they would have a microphone reverb unit, karaoke would no doubt have been popular even back in 1979 Japan.

Here's something contemporary to listen to:

 

[Barrelhouse Solly]

Today I test an Aiwa A22 micro integrated amplifier from 1979.
View attachment 475788
It features three inputs including MM Phono, plus a tape loop. Bass and treble controls, plus loudness. I bought this used in the '80s. I had to service it 6 or 7 years ago, replacing three capacitors and cleaning the controls. It has the rack handle options, which gives it a badass look. It's been in occasional use for most of it's life. 10 years in our kitchen for example. Other than the capacitors, it has been very reliable.

feel and has been reliable, and sounds good while looking great.

I'll admit it. This style of front panel design is my favorite. I could do without the power LEDs(?) but don't find them annoying. The rack handles give me a nostalgic buzz.

 

[Paco De Lucia]

I like these tests on old gear

I'm still running a NAD 1700 monitor series pre-amp from the late 80's driving Two topping PA-5 II+ in my system, i like the old eq's and an excellent FM tuner, sounds great to me

Thank you

 

[MAB]

Ah yes, the Aiwa minis are legendary. They tried to be tiny but still something approaching "legit" hi-fi, and weren't actually that cheap. If you bought the pre-power combo, the SA-P22 could dish out 30 W into either 4 or 8 ohms depending on target market. The tuner seemingly wasn't half-bad either.

My matching R22 tuner works to this day, it's bare-bones simple just like the A22, I agree it isn't half-bad. Even the plastic knobs still retain the metalized finish. I also recall they weren't that cheap. I also have an Aiwa AT-9700 tuner, totally opposite end of the spectrum, also works to this day.

Unfortunately I cannot find any service manual for the SA-A22, so the headphone output mystery must remain unexplained, though I suspect a voltage divider to keep the hiss at bay. Seems quite low-impedance though, so maybe they beefed up the preamp for headphone driving instead? 3 Vrms and change would match a 9ish V supply. The SA-P22 just had 150 ohm series resistors coming from the power amp outputs, and we're clearly not looking at that.

I also can't find a copy of the service manual, was hoping someone would have one, you even came to mind... I also can't reconcile the headphone measurements I got. At some point I will open it up again and take a look, it has just a few parts, all on single-layer boards, so it can't be difficult to see what is implemented. And I am curious about the phono hum.

Of course they would have a microphone reverb unit, karaoke would no doubt have been popular even back in 1979 Japan.

Here's something contemporary to listen to:

Thanks for the tune! I so badly want that reverb unit.

 

[sealman]

Nice job, but not very good audio component. I remember similar mini systems, they have never been considered as serious Hi-Fi systems.

You have to keep in mind this unit is 45 years old! I am sure a lot of the electrical components are no longer up to spec.
I do agree that mini systems from back then were for the most part not considered serious HIFI though.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

Would pair perfectly with KLH 17's if you could find a couple in good condition.

 

[DWPress]

My grandparents had a mini stack of these! Amp, tuner and cassette. They weren't audiophiles by any means, just dairy farmers and this little system was only turned on for playing holiday music as far as I know. The little transistor AM/FM radios in foyer, kitchen and milk house got far more use.

I always thought it looked really cool as a stack back in the 80's when I was in high school. Grandma and Grandpa had cooler stereo shit than most people I knew.

 

[AnalogSteph]

And I am curious about the phono hum.

Probably a wiring issue (magnetic or electrostatic coupling from transformer wiring into some other loop / high-impedance node). I don't really like the spaghetti wiring in there, though at this point it's hard to tell how much it still looks like it did when it left the factory. The banana-shaped PCBs aren't exactly inspiring confidence either, must be an age thing.

 

[ObjectiveSubjectivist]

Aiwa will be always in my heart, next to Technics

 

[AudioSceptic]

It's just a switched jumper from the input, no active devices, just the 47kΩ termination resistor on the input. So it would just be a measurement of the analyzer's residual into a 47kΩ termination. The tape out is useful for is testing the phono stage.

OK, thanks. It could be used to measure the phono preamp, though, if that was of interest?

 

[MAB]

OK, thanks. It could be used to measure the phono preamp, though, if that was of interest?

That's exactly what I did!
The phono measurements were all done with the tape out, bypassing the amp. I neglected to mention that specifically.

 

[AudioSceptic]

That's exactly what I did!
The phono measurements were all done with the tape out, bypassing the amp. I neglected to mention that specifically.

Doh! I'm so sorry, I somehow jumped over that to the conclusion!

 

[DSJR]

We certainly had the Aurex micro systems and quite liked them (HiFi Choice weren't so keen I seem to remember without checking). I honestly can't remember if we had this generation of Aiwa units (we certainly didn't have the later ones) as they weren't ever really regarded as 'Hifi grade' back then, either through lack of power or other reasons. We marvelled back then, how they condensed everything down, this before surface mount components and switch-mode supplies, accepting that most full-size tuners were mostly air inside I remember.


- Got to say my/our interest in neat-sized stereo systems came rather later (in the 90s) with Denon's excellent midi and micro systems and then the TEAC 300 and 500 models, the latter especially being a 'proper' HiFi system with usable power (£800 plus speakers) and there was a delightful Onkyo all-in-one which sadly only had 15WPC but 'sounded' so excellent until it reached that limit.

 

[AndreaT]

It is proof there has been progress in amp design in the past generation! These mini-systems were sold in Switzerland (Münsterton store on the Via Maistra in St.Moritz) in the mid 80s and placed in the main store window to attract clientele. They were not cheap and they had some bling. Never liked them, as packing a class AB amp in such a small space comes with obvious component topography compromises.

 

[AudioSceptic]

We certainly had the Aurex micro systems and quite liked them (HiFi Choice weren't so keen I seem to remember without checking). I honestly can't remember if we had this generation of Aiwa units (we certainly didn't have the later ones) as they weren't ever really regarded as 'Hifi grade' back then, either through lack of power or other reasons. We marvelled back then, how they condensed everything down, this before surface mount components and switch-mode supplies, accepting that most full-size tuners were mostly air inside I remember.


- Got to say my/our interest in neat-sized stereo systems came rather later (in the 90s) with Denon's excellent midi and micro systems and then the TEAC 300 and 500 models, the latter especially being a 'proper' HiFi system with usable power (£800 plus speakers) and there was a delightful Onkyo all-in-one which sadly only had 15WPC but 'sounded' so excellent until it reached that limit.

The mini Denons were great. We have a Denon CEOL piccolo all-in-one streamer, which seems the obvious successor to those, in our 2nd system. Works really well with MA7s (1974, still working well) or KEF Cresta 2, bought from some place called Listen Inn in 2002.

 

[Timbo2]

Marketing
Lots of additional units, including a microphone reverb unit and a digital timer:
View attachment 475811

ミニコンポーネント = minikonpooneto = mini component.

And as is typical in Japanese "konpo" is shorthand for component stereo. Rather funny they kept "component" full sized here while keeping "mini" shortened from "miniaturized".

 

[Gilvan]

Thanks by the review.
It works well even 10 years after, with some refurbishing if can be wonderful in the sound performance.

What a beautiful device! One of the most beautiful i ever seen.

 

[AlmaAtaKZ]

My first ever hifi was an Aiwa micro system. It is still in use by my friend, although the cd drive has failed.

 

[shuppatsu]

ミニコンポーネント = minikonpooneto = mini component.

And as is typical in Japanese "konpo" is shorthand for component stereo. Rather funny they kept "component" full sized here while keeping "mini" shortened from "miniaturized".

ミニチュアライズド
Just looking at it hurts my ears.

When I was a teenager in the 90s ミニコンポ was the standard term, but maybe it took a couple decades to shave off the ネント.

 

[DSJR]

The mini Denons were great. We have a Denon CEOL piccolo all-in-one streamer, which seems the obvious successor to those, in our 2nd system. Works really well with MA7s (1974, still working well) or KEF Cresta 2, bought from some place called Listen Inn in 2002.

HA!!!!

The MA7 was one of the 'new wave' of speakers back then. These and KEF Chorales really did move UK speakers forwards at their then low price levels...